IRVINE WELSH - FILTH

Another classic from Welsh here. DS Bruce Robertson brings a new meaning to corrupt cop in this seedy and dirty tale of a man on the edge. Racist, sexist, pig headed, arrogant, power crazed, manipulative, drug snorting, Fast food guzzling, worm ridden, small minded, petty, and violent. These are just some of the words you can use to describe the main character of the novel as his life slowly unravels around him until the end of the book where some shocking revelations shed some light in this nasty piece of work. As he cavorts from smutty deed to the next bacon sandwich DS Roberts remains despite his actions a likeable character in some ways, mainly because ultimately you have some empathy for someone who turns out to be really quite pathetic. I loved this, up there with Trainspotting and Acid House for me. Looking forward to the film and all.

HERMAN HESSE - THE GLASS BEAD GAME

Not his greatest, it's probably a hundred pages too long, but still worth a read. Hesse covers familiar territory here with a story about learning and teaching and the battle between the artistic, liberal and the conservative, studious side of the various characters and institutions. Typically philosophical Herman Hesse once again makes us ponder and cogitate on his interesting writing.

WILLIAM BURROUGHS - CITIES OF THE RED NIGHT

Absolutely bonkers novel from easily one of my favourite writers. Every time you think you have a hold of the narrative of this book it twists and turns and your left scratching your head. Combining Historical and adventure fiction with sci fi and typical 50s beat sparse prose this book spans a bizarre satirical attack on modern culture and society. Probably some of his best work combing his earlier more "straight" prose with his later cut up work this will fuck your head. Part one of three, so if you like this one there are another two to expand your pathetic hippie mind.

LOUIS FERDINAND CELINE - JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE NIGHT

A thoroughly miserable nihilistic view of the world told in a semi-autobiographical  account of Celine's life including his time in the First World War, in colonial Africa, America and in Paris working as a Doctor. Extremely early for this sort of writing, you can argue convincingly that without Celine there is no Miller, Burroughs, Bukowski et al and I am inclined to agree. Having said that I found this a difficult read mostly down to the slow pace in parts and the constant complaining. Also I found out later that he was Nazi sympathiser who hated jews the fascist pig (not that any of that is suggested in this book). Still worth a scan with your measly eyes though.

RUSSELL HOBAN - PILGERMANN

I have to say that I am a huge fan of Russell Hoban and this book only serves to confrim that for me. Both Fremder and Riddley Walker are visionary, mind boggling reads and this is no different. The story of a medieval Jew who ends up on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem after talking to Jesus. The story weaves together traditional narrative alongside metaphysical and existential philosophical thought, extreme violence, humour, history and some hugely odd surreal moments including and talking bear. Just read it and then you will see what I am talking about.

KENNETH COOK - WAKE IN FRIGHT

John Grant does not enjoy his job as a teacher in the heat and dust of some two bit Australian town and right from the beginning of the book its clear he can't wait to be back in "civilized" Sydney. Things however don't go too well for him and everything becomes a bit of an alcohol fuelled nightmare. It has to be said he is probably his own worst enemy, but you can't help despite his snobbery but feel sorry for this naive lad just looking forward to getting home. Some times the writing is a little clunky but he conveys the heat, dust and desire for booze perfectly. The scenes involving drinking shortly after waking up are brilliantly horrible and queasy and the middle hunting scene is a doozy. Interesting commentary on Australian culture and the split between "civilized" western Australia and the "neanderthal" interior. It was made into a film which I havent seen although its meant to be really good.  Great holiday read, short, sharp, entertaining and memorable. 

JAMES KELMAN - HOW LATE IT WAS HOW LATE

A great scottish novel this one. A story about a serious fuck up called Sammy who manages to end up in a cell after being beat to fuck by some coppers. He leaves the cop shop blind, without any money, with no idea where his girlfriend has gone or what happened in the last few days. This is just the first 50 pages, a hard slog for comprehension and sometimes just existence ensures for our poor protagonist  Miserable and paranoid in parts, but also quite upbeat with a constant inner monologue in broad Glaswegian providing some funny insights. There is certainly some social commentary particularly with parts involving government procedure and bureaucracy,
 but you can't help but feel at times Sammy is his own self pitying worst enemy. Good gritty Scottish socialist novel though.

EUROPE CENTRAL - WILLIAM T. VOLLMAN

This an absolute brute of book about a brutal war. 750 odd pages of well researched, ambitious and well crafted fiction set during the Second World War. The book is told from the point of view of a multitude of characters based in either Germany or The Soviet Union and includes many real life characters although clearly the author has used his poetic license with some these in depth scenarios. They are handled extremely well these vignettes, and really capture the difficult decisons made by many on both sides during this brutal conflict. I particularly enjoyed the section about the greman general and later field marshall, Paulus, who recounts his side of the battle of Stalingrad. This is not for the faint hearted due to scope and depth as much as anything else. personally I really enjoyed researching a lot of what was mentioned and the characters involved. This is worth your patience, not all books have to be "easy reads", and is ultimately a rewarding read. I really liked the way this book was printed as well, just little things like every time the SS were mentioned they used the insignia.

A VOYAGE TO ARCTURUS - DAVID LINDSAY

An interesting early sci-fi novel. The novel largely follows the journey of Maskull on a distant planet after he meets two odd characters in seemingly bizarre circumstances at a gathering. He faces many perils across surreal terrain and meets many fantastical inhabitants who exhibit odd features and extra limbs and organs. These meetings often take on philosophical slants as he discusses his motives and thoughts as well as explaining his morals and views on life. The novel builds nicely to a multi-layered ending. Good read, feel the dirge.

TRAVELLER OF THE CENTURY - ANDRES NEUMAN

I had read a fair bit of praise for this book, in particular a quote from Roberto Bolano who is the dude, and I really like South American Literature so I thought I would give this Argentinian writer a punt. I wasn't disappointed. A well crafted multi-layered story that is interesting and insightful. Elements of the historical novel, magical realism and even period drama abound but none take over. On the surface I shouldn't like this, but I did. I even enjoyed the Austen-esque subtexts during social occasions and I fuckin hate Jane Austen.

THE CASTLE - FRANZ KAFKA

I have to say that I enjoyed The Trial and his short stories more, but that this is perhaps his most disturbing and complete novel. In The Castle Kafka transports the reader to a world of bizarre and surreal extremes, but one that reflects our society and human nature in a rather frightening way. The Castle is a book full of alienation, isolation, difficulty, hopelessness and infuriating bureaucratic measures that to me were quietly terrifying. I think that the book is a fairly difficult read in that it deals with weighty topics often of a very philosophical and metaphysical  nature and describes them in complex and long conversations. I was reminded a little of early greek philosophy where writings consist of imagined conversations to describe philosophical view points. The book is not finished like the other two novels that Kafka wrote, this somehow suits The Castle, making it feel like the travails of the protagonist stretch on forever into infinity. Definitely worth a read for a different way of looking at the world and how to write a novel. No one else creates such labyrinth worlds (except perhaps Borges who often spoke of his love of Kafka) and the parallels between this and modern society are a little chilling (if you have ever tried speaking to any organisation over the phone then you will know what I am talking about). DIRGE.

TREE OF SMOKE - DENNIS JOHNSON

This is by no means a bad book. It has some interesting characters and covers a wide range of themes and scenarios in its setting of South East Asia during the Vietnam War. However it is not a great book either. For me it is slow and ponderous and rather than using its 600 odd pages wisely it seems full of unnecessary detail and tiring prose. I did enjoy this book but for me its not his greatest. I much preferred  Jesus' Hands which is great collection of loosely linked short stories.

FACTOTUM - BUKOWSKI

Not a great deal to say about this except more of the same. Bukowskis second novel about semi-autobiographical character Henry Chinaski details more hilarious stories of low life America. Menial jobs, drinking, women and gambling ensue. I guess you could be disappointed with the similarity to his first novel, personally I reckon he has hit the right formula and so why the fuck would you change it? Righteous.

THE YELLOW BIRDS - KEVIN POWERS

Succeeds where many books about war have failed, particularly those written by ex-servicemen about conflict in the Middle East as this one is. Bravo Two Zero and Jarhead were too much about military jargon and all the other associated bullshit with military. This book is a powerful and compelling story about three men in the Iraq war. Gung-ho Nihilist Sergeant Sterling, childish and detached Private Murphy and the narrator Private John Bartle who tells of his experiences before, during and after the war. This could be a book stuffed full with cliches and horrible genre tropes, but instead this is a brilliant, hallucinatory, sad and daring novel that succeeds to my mind in portraying realistic experiences, thoughts and emotions of those involved in conflict. Written with a poetic verve and with scenes that could so easily have been mishandled by a lesser writer this book is the best I have read in an age. What a first novel! I look forward to his next output. Like a young Cormac McCarthy!

BUTCHERS CROSSING - JOHN WILLIAMS

An extremely well crafted tale about the American frontier in the 1870s. Will Andrews packs in his studies at Harvard and heads west to return to nature and find something of himself. He is soon convinced on heading into the colorado mountains to a hidden valley full of buffalo. Things go wrong and, on their return to the frontier town Butchers Crossing much is changed. The book is a classic portrayal of the American west with hard men and harsh country. There is for me a great sense of futility throughout the book but this is by no means a depressing novel. Overall a well balanced story with gritty characters and an almost perfect style of prose all create a great read. For fans of Blood Meridian et al.